The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1887-05-12

AN ATTEMPT MADE UPON HIS LIFE IN 100
FOLLOWED BY A KIDNAPPING con-
sPIRACY.
81 am reading with great deal of in
terest Nicolay and Hays Life of Lincoln
in the Century," said Mr.. John W.
Nichols, ex president of the Omaha Fire
department, to Alfred Soreason, con.
trlbutor to the Wheeling CIV. Va
Register. "The chapters that will most
interest me will be those relating to his
career from 1862 to 1865, and particularly
the history of the assassination. 1t is
not generally known that more than one
attempt upon Lincoln's life was made IN
Washington, but such is the fact"
Mr.. Nichols statement interested LIE
somewhat, and | asked him to explain.
He then went on aud told me substan
tally the following story: In August,
1862, Company *. One Hundred and
Fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers, of which
Mr.. Nichols was member, was detailed
as body guard of President Lincoln.
Up to 1864, owing to the vigilance OF
the guards, Mr.. Lincoln escaped all
attempts at violence. The back of the
Confederacy was broken, good feeling
prevailed all Washington. and vigilance
was considerably relaxed. 1t was then
consplracios were hatched and Coufe6er-
ates ran the city unmolested. The
President and his family spent the sum-
mer months at the Soldiers Home,
about three miles north of the city,
WHITTIER the body guard accompanied
them. 1t was the custom of the Presl-
=, L. Al II
ment, and after his work was concluded
he would ride on horseback out to the
Home. That summer he had persist,
emily refused an escort, imagining him
self perfectly secure.
One night about the middle of August
MIR. Nichols was doing sentinel duty at
the large gat. to the grounds of the
Home. About eleven o'clock he heard
rifle shot, and shortly afterward
Mr.. Lincoln dashed up to the gate
OF horseback. The President was bare
headed, and as he dismounted he said,
referring to his horse: ''He came pretty
near getting away with me, didn't he
He got the bit in his teeth before J could
draw the REIN" Mr.. Nichols asked him
where his hat was, and he replied that
somebody had fired gun off at the foot
IF the hill, and that his horse had
become scared and jerked his hat off.
Thinking the affair rather strange,
said Mr.. Nichols, "a corporal and myself
went down the hill to make an investiga-
ton. AT the intersection of the driveway
and the main road we found the Presi-
dents hat-a plain silk one-and upon
examining it we discovered bullet hole
through the crown. The shot had been
fired upward, and it was evident that the
person who fired the shot had secreted
himself close by the roadside. The next
day | gave Mr.. Lincoln his hat and called
his attention TO the bullet hole. He re-
marked rather unconcernedly that it was
put there by some foolish gunner and
that it was not intended for him. He
SAID, however, that he wanted the matter
Kept quiet, and admOnished Us to say
nothing about it. We felt confident that
It was al attempt to kill hlu, and a we'll
nigh successful one, too. The affair was,
OF COURSE, kept quiet III compliance WITT
the Presidents request. AtIer that the
President never RODE alone.
Mr. Nichols then went Oh to relate the
circumstances OF KIDNAPPING conspiracy
which was attempted 10 be carried out
the next fail. This plan was unknow
Ingiy frustrated by the body guard,
whose quarters were imme Iiateiy IL
front of the south porch Of the Executive
Mansion, equi distant between that
building and the Treasury, State, War
and Navy Departments. Just to the
east OF the quarters was the guard tent
where portion of the body guard re-
NAMED on duty. For reasons then IN
known TO the guard, the tent was moved
to the west end of the gravel walk in the
rear of the Wal Department. Shortly
afterward Ii was learned by the guard
that on the Very night the tent wa
moved plan had been made to capture
the President as he should pass along
the wall and carry him to the house Of
one Green, a notorious Secessionist, on
the bank of the Potomac, back of the
White House grounds, and thence, when
the opportunity offered, he was to be
carried To Richmond and held as a
hostage. 1t was always believed that
the moving Of the guard tent to the west
end of the walk frightened the con
7pirators and thwarted their design.
At another time, not long before this
incident, B0urke, the veteran cOachman,
who had served through two admins
tratious at the White House, was taken
SICK. \ stranger from Baltimore APP
pied for the place and succeeded IN
securing it in the abseuse Of Bourke.
He did not hold the place very long,
however, as he became so dOmiueerine
and important that he was intolerable.
Bourke was reinstated One night, not
long after he had been dismissed, the
discharged coachman was discovered
sneaking about the stables, which were
soon observed to be on fire. The whole
guard was called out, and by great ex-
ertions saved the Presidential coach and
team, but Lincoln's pony and Colonel
Hays carriage team persisted. 1t was
believed that plan had been formed for
his man to fire the stables, and during
she excitement conspirtors were to rush
INTO the White House and murder the
president. Mr.. Lincoln, however, rushed
ont with he rest to the scene of the fire,
tnd thus frustrated any attempt at
assassination. "What made this appear
more evident, said Mr.. Nichols, twas
the fact that after the incendiary was
arrested he produced several witnesses
who were employed at Fords Theater,
and who testified that he (the discharged
coachman) was down in the city during
the whole evening on which the fire
occurred. These were the persons who.
-, nv opinion, llid the final conspiracy
+bot b-oron. Abraham Lincoln to his
grave"